Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2826076
09/28/20 03:00 PM
09/28/20 03:00 PM
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360view
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COVID-19 may deplete testosterone, helping to explain male patients' poorer prognosis https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-covid-deplete-testosterone-male-patients.htmlSample quote Testosterone is associated with the immune system of respiratory organs, and low levels of testosterone might increase the risk of respiratory infections. Low testosterone is also associated with infection-related hospitalization and all-cause mortality in male in ICU patients, so testosterone treatment may also have benefits beyond improving outcomes for COVID-19," Professor Çayan explains. "In our study, the mean total testosterone decreased, as the severity of the COVID-19 increased. The mean total testosterone level was significantly lower in the ICU group than in the asymptomatic group. In addition, the mean total testosterone level was significantly lower in the ICU group than in the Intermediate Care Unit group. The mean serum follicle stimulating hormone level was significantly higher in the ICU group than in the asymptomatic group. "We found hypogonadism—a condition in which the body doesn't produce enough testosterone—in 113 (51.1%) of the male patients. "The patients who died, had significantly lower mean total testosterone than the patients who were alive. "However, even 65.2% of the 46 male patients who were asymptomatic had a loss of loss of libido." End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2826082
09/28/20 03:08 PM
09/28/20 03:08 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
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360view
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Filipino nurses in USA especially hard hit by Covid-19 https://dailynurse.com/covid-exacts-high-toll-among-filipino-nurses/Sample quote Data from National Nurses United (NNU) suggests that while only 4% of US nurses are Filipinos, some 30% of the nearly 200 RNs who have died from COVID-19 are Filipino Americans. ..snip.. One reason for their vulnerability is based on sheer numbers, particularly in California and New York. One fifth of California nurses are Filipino, and according to a ProPublica analysis of 2017 US Census data, 25% of the Filipinos living in New York work in the health care industry. End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2826473
09/29/20 02:07 PM
09/29/20 02:07 PM
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A tool designed to detect viral history in a drop of blood has gotten an upgrade in the age of COVID-19. VirScan, a technology that can determine which of more than 1,000 different viruses have infected a person, can now also detect evidence of infection from coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-virscan-insights-covid-antibody-response.htmlSample quote The researchers also compared the viral histories of hospitalized and non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients and found that hospitalized patients were much more likely to have had CMV and HSV-1, two common herpes viruses. End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2826475
09/29/20 02:15 PM
09/29/20 02:15 PM
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U of Cincinnati finds a natural lipid fat in the human body that could be used as a nasal spray treatment against Covid-19 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-uncover-clues-covid-treatment.htmlSample quote Researchers in this study analyzed the use of this lipid in regulating infection in cultured human cells with SARS-CoV-2 particles added. "We showed that sphingosine prevented cellular infection in these cultures, and pretreatment of cultured cells or freshly obtained human nasal epithelial cells with low concentrations of sphingosine prevented adhesion of and infection with the virus," says Gulbins. "These findings indicate that sphingosine prevents at least some viral infection by interfering with the interaction of the virus with its receptor; it could be used as a nasal spray to prevent or treat infections with SARS-CoV-2," he adds. "The nasal spray must be developed, but sphingosine is a natural product. More research is needed to see if this could be a treatment for COVID-19." End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2826948
09/30/20 02:34 PM
09/30/20 02:34 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
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German researchers claim, without anyone else yet replicating their conclusion: The major genetic risk factor for severe COVID-19 is inherited from Neanderthals https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2818-3Warning, above article long and technical Sample quote A new study comprising 3,199 hospitalized COVID-19 patients and controls finds that this is the major genetic risk factor for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalization (COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative). Here, we show that the risk is conferred by a genomic segment of that is inherited from Neanderthals and is carried by ~50% of people in South Asia and ~16% of people in Europe today. End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2827001
09/30/20 05:06 PM
09/30/20 05:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
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360view
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125 doctors and nurses did a clinical trial as to whether taking 600 mg of Hydroxychloroquine daily could prevent infection by Covid-19. It had no statistically significant effect. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-hydroxychloroquine-effective-placebo-covid-.htmlSample quote Extensive testing was used to rigorously prove who did or did not contract the virus. Each person received swab and antibody testing for COVID-19 at the start of their participation in the study, halfway through, and at the end—an eight-week span during the study period that began April 9 and ended July 14, 2020. Participants also had electrocardiogram (ECG) tests because of concerns about hydroxychloroquine causing heart rhythm problems in severe cases of COVID-19. "To really test the potential of HCQ as a prevention drug, we felt it was key to recruit health care workers with many hours of direct physical exposure to COVID-19 patients, then randomize them in a double-blind manner between hydroxychloroquine or a matching placebo, and treat them for a long period of time," said Amaravadi. "Through that whole time, we monitored participants closely for their safety." At the end of the study, 6.3 percent of those who took the hydroxychloroquine had tested positive for COVID-19 while 6.6 percent of those who took the placebos were positive. None required hospitalization. Additionally, there was no difference detected in the heart rhythms between those in either arm of the study, which showed that while the drug had no preventive effect, it was also not detrimental, outside of some temporary side effects like diarrhea for some. "The differences we saw were negligible," Amaravadi said. "And those who did get the virus, whether they were taking hydroxychloroquine or not, were all asymptomatic or had very mild forms of COVID-19." End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2827195
10/01/20 07:04 AM
10/01/20 07:04 AM
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Joined: Jan 2006
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360view
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Moderna Covid-19 vaccine appears to work well in older adults and continues to pass trial milestones. Moderna CEO admits vaccine will not have passed all milestones by Election day. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-09-covid-vaccine-well-tolerated-immune-response.htmlSample quote In its expansion to include older adults, the trial enrolled 40 healthy volunteers: 20 adults ages 56 to 70 years, and 20 adults ages 71 years and older. Ten volunteers in each age group received a lower dose of the vaccine (25 μg), and 10 volunteers in each age group received a higher dose (100 μg). After approximately one month, volunteers then received a second dose of the same vaccine at the same dosage. Throughout the study, volunteers attended clinic visits to track their responses to the vaccine and assess safety. Overall, the researchers found that the investigational vaccine was well-tolerated in this older age group. Although some volunteers experienced some transient adverse effects, including fever and fatigue after vaccination, the researchers found that they also exhibited a good immune response to the vaccine: the blood of vaccinated volunteers contained robust binding and neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Importantly, the immune response to the vaccine seen in older volunteers was comparable to that seen in younger age groups. End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2827383
10/01/20 01:52 PM
10/01/20 01:52 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
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360view
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German researchers claim that 81% of their pre-Covid-19 blood samples show at least a small amount of existing T-cells that attack Covid-19 https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-role-t-cells-sars-cov-virus-defense.htmlSample quote In addition, the study, which was financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research's special funding line COVID-19, analyzed donor blood samples which were collected before the outbreak of the pandemic and thus had no contact with SARS-CoV-2. Strikingly, small amounts of SARS-CoV-2-directed T-cells, which recognize virus components, were identified in 81 percent of these unexposed donors. This could be due to previous contact of the donors with other human common cold corona viruses (HCoV-OC43, HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV- HKU1) and sequence similarities of the SARS-CoV-2 T-cell epitopes with these HCoVs. However, such cross-reactive T-cell detection is not equivalent to immunity against SARS-CoV-2: "The effect these preexisting cross-reactive SARS-CoV-2 T-cell responses in 81 percent of the population will be investigated further prospective studies," commented Juliane Walz. End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2827515
10/01/20 06:20 PM
10/01/20 06:20 PM
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Very weird. Covid-19 infection acts as a pain reliever. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-pain-relief-sars-cov-infection-covid-.htmlSample quote With that knowledge, they performed a series of experiments in the laboratory and in rodent models to test their hypothesis that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein acts on the VEGF-A/neuropilin pain pathway. They used VEGF-A as a trigger to induce neuron excitability, which creates pain, then added the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. "The spike protein completely reversed the VEGF-induced pain signaling," Dr. Khanna said. "It didn't matter if we used very high doses of spike or extremely low doses—it reversed the pain completely." End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2827519
10/01/20 06:25 PM
10/01/20 06:25 PM
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Another study finds loss of smell a symptom of Covid-19 infection, even if there is no fever or breathlessness. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-loss-globally-symptom-covid-.htmlSample quote 78% of participants in our community-based study with sudden onset loss of smell or taste had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The vast majority had mild symptoms and 40% did not report having a fever or cough. Our findings suggest that people who notice a loss in their ability to smell every day house-hold odors such as garlic, coffee and perfumes should self-isolate and seek PCR testing. Loss of sense of smell needs to be recognized globally by policy makers as a key symptom of COVID-19." End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2827544
10/01/20 07:10 PM
10/01/20 07:10 PM
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Using 35 year old on going study, Researchers make “educated guess” that immunity to the family of coronaviruses only lasts 6 months to 12 months. https://www.livescience.com/seasonal-coronavirus-immunity-reinfection.htmlSample quote In a new study, published Sept. 14 in the journal Nature Medicine, scientists monitored 10 individuals for more than 35 years to determine how often they became infected with the four known seasonal coronaviruses. Since these viruses — known as HCoV-NL63, HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-HKU1 — either cause mild symptoms of the common cold or no symptoms at all, the team periodically screened the participants' blood for antibodies to spot new cases of infection. When blood samples show an increase in the number of antibodies targeting a specific virus, as compared with prior samples, that means that the person's immune system is fighting off a new infection. The researchers determined how steep this shift in antibody levels had to be to constitute a confirmed infection, rather than random fluctuation. "The new data show that immunity to other coronaviruses tends to be short-lived, with reinfections happening quite often about 12 months later and, in some cases, even sooner," Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), wrote in a commentary about the research. In a few instances, reinfections occurred as early as six months and nine months after a prior infection, the study authors found. The 10 study participants were all part of the Amsterdam Cohort Studies (ACS) on HIV-1 infection and AIDS, a study of the prevalence, incidence and risk factors for HIV infection that began in the 1980s. The participants, all HIV-negative, gave blood samples every three to six months throughout the study, providing 513 samples in total. End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2827863
10/02/20 12:55 PM
10/02/20 12:55 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,055 Eau Claire, WI
Charger727
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Another study finds loss of smell a symptom of Covid-19 infection, even if there is no fever or breathlessness. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-loss-globally-symptom-covid-.htmlSample quote 78% of participants in our community-based study with sudden onset loss of smell or taste had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The vast majority had mild symptoms and 40% did not report having a fever or cough. Our findings suggest that people who notice a loss in their ability to smell every day house-hold odors such as garlic, coffee and perfumes should self-isolate and seek PCR testing. Loss of sense of smell needs to be recognized globally by policy makers as a key symptom of COVID-19." End quote That's the very first thing my neighbor noticed when he got it - he had mild symptoms, recovered quickly Only major issue for him was a ticked-off wife when she got it from him!
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2828174
10/03/20 07:22 AM
10/03/20 07:22 AM
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Discussion of Regeneron double monoclonal antibodies (Warning: political aspect) https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-regeneron-covid-treatment.htmlSample quote Researchers can also comb through antibodies produced by recovered patients and select the most effective out of thousands, and then manufacture them at scale. In a paper published in Science in June, Regeneron scientists described how they selected the two best antibodies from both recovered human patients and infected mice that were genetically modified to give them human-like immune systems. In another paper in the same journal, scientists argued that by using two antibodies, they had guarded against the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 might randomly mutate to evade the blocking action of one, and then go on to become the dominant strain of the virus. The company used the same "humanized mouse" technology to develop a triple-antibody cocktail which was shown to be effective against Ebola last year. End quote Edit: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/...iral-remdesivir-as-coronavirus-treatmentSample quote White House Dr. Sean Conley said in his initial memo Friday afternoon that Trump was "fatigued but in good spirits." He also said Trump, 74, was being treated with an experimental polyclonal antibody cocktail and was taking zinc, Vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin, and a daily aspirin. End quote
Last edited by 360view; 10/03/20 03:46 PM.
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
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#2828532
10/04/20 09:22 AM
10/04/20 09:22 AM
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Catalase, a Common Low-Cost Antioxidant Enzyme Is Potential Treatment for COVID-19 says UCLA researchers https://scitechdaily.com/common-low-cost-antioxidant-enzyme-is-potential-treatment-for-covid-19/Sample quote First, they demonstrated the enzyme’s anti-inflammatory effects and its ability to regulate the production of cytokines, a protein that is produced in white blood cells. Cytokines are an important part of the human immune system, but they can also signal the immune system to attack the body’s own cells if too many are made — a so-called “cytokine storm” that is reported in some patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Second, the team showed that catalase can protect alveolar cells, which line the human lungs, from damage due to oxidation. Finally, the experiments showed that catalase can repress the replication of SARS-CoV-2 virus in rhesus macaques, a type of monkey, without noticeable toxicity. “This work has far-reaching implications beyond the treatment of COVID-19. Cytokine storm is a lethal condition that can complicate other infections, such as influenza, as well as non-infectious conditions, like autoimmune disease,” said Dr. Gregory Fishbein, an author on the study and a pathologist at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
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#2828535
10/04/20 09:29 AM
10/04/20 09:29 AM
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Similar to Regeneron, Germans say they have identified highly effective antibodies against Covid-19 https://scitechdaily.com/highly-eff...-basis-for-passive-covid-19-vaccination/Sample quote Initially, the scientists isolated almost 600 different antibodies from the blood of individuals who had overcome COVID-19, the disease triggered by SARS-CoV-2. By means of laboratory tests, they were able to narrow this number down to a few antibodies that were particularly effective at binding to the virus. Next, they produced these antibodies artificially using cell cultures. The identified so-called neutralizing antibodies bind to the virus, as crystallographic analysis reveals, and thus prevent the pathogen from entering cells and reproducing. In addition, virus recognition by antibodies helps immune cells to eliminate the pathogen. Studies in hamsters – which, like humans, are susceptible to infection by SARS-CoV-2 – confirmed the high efficacy of the selected antibodies: “If the antibodies were given after an infection, the hamsters developed mild disease symptoms at most. If the antibodies were applied preventively — before infection — the animals did not get sick,” said Dr. Jakob Kreye, coordinator of the current research project. End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2828538
10/04/20 09:40 AM
10/04/20 09:40 AM
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Off topic and weird: Can a Cat parasite control your mind? https://www.livescience.com/can-cat-parasites-control-human-brains.htmlSample quote Humans are not immune to Toxoplasma gondii — in fact, at least a third of the world's population is thought to have toxoplasmosis, the infection this parasite causes. Some humans get infected when they clean out their pet cat's litter box, but many of us simply eat undercooked meats or unwashed vegetables. So, what does this mean for the one in three of us who end up playing host to the parasite? End quote
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Re: The official Coronavirus thread
[Re: 360view]
#2828559
10/04/20 11:10 AM
10/04/20 11:10 AM
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Do you have vivid memories of the pandemics of 1957 and 1968? https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-history/heroic-failures/pandemic-memories-and-mortalitiesSample quote But I have yet to come across anybody who has vivid memories of the pandemics of 1957 or 1968. Countries did not resort to any mass-scale economic lockdowns, enforce any long-lasting school closures, ban sports events, or cut flight schedules deeply. Today’s pandemic has led to a deep (50 to 90 percent) reduction in flights, but during the earlier pandemics, aviation was marked by notable advances. On 17 October 1958, half a year after the end of the second pandemic wave in the West and about a year before the pandemic ended (in Chile, the last holdout), PanAm inaugurated its Boeing 707 jet service to Europe. And the Boeing 747, the first wide-body jetliner, entered scheduled service months before the last wave of the contemporary pandemic ended, in March 1970. End quote
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